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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 31, 2006 |
"If they don’t fail outright, most businesses fail to fully achieve their potential. That’s because the person who owns the business doesn’t truly know how to build a company that works without him or her.. which is the key." -- Michael Gerber
Two great opportunities if you're looking to fund your startup: "Entrepreneurs can pitch ideas through Web site In Montana it's http://www.fundingmont ... .com/" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html -------- "Spokane, WA based Delta Angel group watches for early-stage rising stars. Delta connects wealthy private investors with cash-needy startups" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html or if you're a college student in Montana, this is a great opportunity: "17th Annual John Ruffatto Memorial Business Plan Competition, 5/11, University Of Montana, Missoula" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Come Home Montana
Montana Ambassadors
- Featured "Come Home Montana" Community~BIG TIMBER
Sweet Grass County is truly where the plains become the Rockies!
- Montana-Jobs.net Featured Career ~ Web Production Assistant
We're looking for a creative individual with a positive attitude and an appetite for learning new skills and trends in internet development.
- Montana-Jobs.net Featured Talent - Desired Field: COO, GM, VP, Director or Manager
Leader with broad international engineering and operations experience.
Montana Education Excellence
- Don Cape Jr. - Awarded Montana Ambassador's Entrepreneur of the Year
"Don exhibits all the qualities of a successful entrepreneur--he is thoughtful, analytical and has perspective. And, like all good entrepreneurs, he seems to have nerves of steel!" Rich Semenik, Dean of the MSU College of Business
Montana Meth Project
- MSU business team places third at regional competition that assesses proficiency in financial information systems.
MSU students from several Montana towns were on an MSU College of Business team that placed third in a recent regional competition.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana's Gritty Meth Ads are Turning Heads Nationally. Project Financed by Billionaire Aims to Keep Teens From Trying the Drug
Watch "Nightline"next week at 11:30 p.m. ET for its series on methamphetamine in America.
Education
- Montana Business Development Initiative - Summer Seminar 2006, 5/22-6/23, UM, Missoula, Montana
Do you have the heart of an entrepreneur? Create Your Future!
Montana Business
- All adults should return to high school
And now comes Florida, which is thinking of requiring incoming high-school freshmen to declare a major _ math, science, history, English. Do you know what they call a new college graduate with an English major? Waiter.
- University of Montana Makes National College Guide's Best-Buy List
“The University of Montana has all the ingredients of a happy college experience: friendly people, supportive faculty, a great sense of community and fantastic educational opportunities – all served up with a side of lovely scenery,” says the opening paragraph of the three-page UM profile.
- Online courses aren't just for home-schoolers anymore. Small schools use them to broaden class offerings; Michigan aims to mandate them.
Once considered the domain of home-schooled students, K-12 online learning is a fast-growing option for public school students in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
- Dept. of Education Cites Lagging Schools. Montana among the best in meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Law
Oklahoma led the country in 2004-05 with 97 percent of its schools making adequate progress. It was followed closely by Rhode Island, Iowa, Montana and New Hampshire.
- Utah business students quiz Warren Buffett on biz. Has your school had lunch with him yet?
When the 2005-06 school year closes in May, roughly 2,000 students from 35 schools will have visited Berkshire Hathaway headquarters to speak with Buffett. He typically spends two hours answering students' questions at his offices and then treats the students to lunch at Gorat's Steakhouse. He devotes about 20 days per year with student groups that make the trek to Omaha. A group of about 70 is coming from India in May.
- Hotel venture a treat for school
Students from Johnson & Wales' culinary, hospitality and business schools will receive credits for running it, a model employed by several other schools, including Cornell University.
Montana Economic Development
- Richland Opportunities Inc. in Sidney, Montana announces beginning of eBay store
“The reason why we came up with this idea is we recycle cardboard and newspapers. We have access to shipping materials,” Taylor said. “Plus it gives the people we serve another work opportunity.”
- More than a pipe dream — Poly Warehouse in Stevensville, Montana is expanding more each year
These days the company even has an international market. Its largest customer base is in Canada, where rapid growth and a shortage of manufacturers is driving demand for infrastructure materials, Sheldon said.
- Alltel Communications company spreads gifts around Havre, Montana. "Can you feed me now?"
Kris Allen, Alltel's “good deeds guy,” said he bought breakfast, lunch, gas or groceries for about 300 people in Havre, spending about $10,000 for the day.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Toward a Living Wage in Montana. It's all about education!
Here’s an iron law of labor economics: It’s nearly impossible to force private sector employers to pay folks more than the value of their output. If a law requires payment higher than expected productivity, jobs vanish and new ones are not created.
- Senator Max Baucus encourages Park county, Livingston to get into wind energy
Costanti agreed that public involvement was crucial to the success of the project. “I think it’s encouraging to see a standing room only crowd here,” he said.
- Montana Film council chair rebuffs criticism
Markey said Winnipeg provides an example of what the Montana Film Office should be.
- Butte, Montana Cashing in on Toxic Water Pit
"The first time I drove through Butte I thought, "This is a terrible place,'" she said. "But once you start to understand it, it's fascinating. All that mining history."
- Montana ag council selects projects for funding. $277,000 of Growth Through Agriculture funds allocated
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2006, the Growth Through Agriculture program has invested $942,570.50 in 32 Montana agriculture projects.
Funding and Building your Business
- Spokane, WA based Delta Angel group watches for early-stage rising stars. Delta connects wealthy private investors with cash-needy startups
“There are not enough people who have the money doing this” type of higher-risk, higher-return investing in the Spokane area yet, nor are there as many great investment opportunities bubbling to the surface yet as he’d like to see, Leatha says.
- Entrepreneurs can pitch ideas through Web site In Montana it's http://www.fundingmontana.com/
Entrepreneurs can record their pitches at http;//www.FundingMontana.com with a Webcam or upload an existing video. The site hosts the first month of a VideoPitch subscription for $1, after which the entrepreneur is charged $34.95 for each month that his VideoPitch is posted on FundingMontana.com.
- Aurora, CO mayor sees proposal as brain food. City sponsored Venture Capital Fund to build businesses. What is your city doing?
On Thursday, Tauer gave an example from New Mexico in which every $4 of venture capital from private sources is matched by $1 of government money. "The idea is, let's try to turn our incentive discussion instead into an investment discussion," he said.
Global Telework
- The Benefits Of Incorporation
A compelling reason to incorporate, however, is the protection of personal assets that comes with it.
- Scenes From the Talent Wars
At mindbridge software, there's only one hard, fast rule when it comes to recruiting hot talent: Don't break the law. Pretty much everything else goes.
- Got a great invention? Be sure to get competent help to patent it
There are several ways to find an attorney or registered patent agent to help you patent an invention.
- Salt Lake-based nonprofit venture capital accelerator The Wayne Brown Institute seeks entries for VC forum
Those who attend the event will participate in the venture capital fund-raising process by receiving mentoring and expert feedback on business plans and models. In addition, they will be able to present their ideas and make their pitches for funding in front of a roomful of venture capitalists and other investors.
- Formalizing Loans From Relatives, Friends
Most relatives will invest in your start-up for more than just altruism; they want to see you succeed, but they also want to make some money, too.
- The Art of Driving Your Competition Crazy
During the Korean War, the U. S. Army Office of Strategic Services left a supply of condoms for the Communist Chinese to find. The condoms were specially manufactured in an extra-large size. The label on the boxes, however, said, “Made in the USA Size Medium.”
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Temper flaws with help from mentors
These business friends can counsel you through tense negotiations and offer a fresh perspective on problems. I believe it is never a sign of weakness to ask for help, but a sign of entrepreneurial wisdom and maturity.
Regional Economic Development
- IT outsourcing according to Tom Koulopoulos
If you're dedicating much of your IT to "keeping the lights on" types of activities that are commodity, you are probably not going to be innovating as quickly as you could have in those core areas.
- From bust to boom -- with a catch. Study suggests skilled and innovative workers may defect to other communities because of the Bay Area's (California) costly homes, creaky transportation infrastructure, and beleaguered public schools system.
"We're doing well as a region, but there are risks," Wunderman said. "The high cost of living makes this a destination for a narrow group of companies and industries. We have to be able to continue to attract these innovative companies because every major region of the country and the world is also seeking these companies."
- Small Businesses Struggle to Offshore
"There are structural difficulties that prevent smaller companies from taking advantage of offshoring, and yet these are the companies that have the most to gain."
Utah Economic Development
- South Dakota Sees Progress As Clock Ticks on 2010 Economic Development Initiative
Research and technology development play central roles to the strategy.
- The New West, New Retirement Destination
On the countless occasions when California's social climate seemed crazier than most could bear, even more found new homes in the mountains. From Coeur D’Alene to Bozeman, Sedona to Santa Fe, every third person once lived in California.
Government Technology
- Utah is back in the technology game, experts say. State will never be a 'Silicon Valley,' however
Utah's strengths may be best exploited specifically rather than generally
Idaho Business
- NASCIO Looks at State IT Consolidation and Shared Services as a Business Strategy for States to Achieve Economies of Scale
"There is a continuum of options that can be considered when it comes to IT consolidation and shared services and our hope as a committee is this helps CIOs gain greater insight into the challenges and opportunities along the path to greater efficiency." said John Gillispie, Chief Operating Officer for Iowa's Information Technology Enterprise, and Co-chair of NASCIO's Enterprise Infrastructure & Services Committee. "NASCIO is pleased to offer this brief as a valuable resource to assist state CIOs as they plan for the future of their state's IT enterprise."
Other Economies
- Idaho Senate sends energy plan to governor
"It's probably one of the most important issues we will all face,"
- Environment at Work: Group works to make alternative fuels available across the Boise Valley
The Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition, made up of state environmental officials, local businesses and city officials, started meeting about two years ago.
- Coal debate heats up in Idaho: Gasification proponents proceeding with plans
Kent Rudeen, a member of the Power County Development Authority that's overseeing progress on the proposed 520-megawatt facility at the former FMC site near Pocatello, said a two-year moratorium on coal-fired plants in Idaho isn't discouraging in the least.
- Replacing lighting's energy. The central product-design task of AC Data Systems Inc. of Post Falls, Idaho is to “blow stuff up.”
“Basically we’re kind of a firewall between over-voltage and the equipment we’re trying to protect,” says Brad Herr, president of AC Data, which makes surge-suppression equipment mostly for the wireless-communications industry.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- The National Geographic Society is mapping Arizona and Mexico in a way that has never been done before. Create a map for travelers that highlights both the traditional tourist stops and the haunts that only locals may know.
The magazine hopes to collect about 1,000 nominations from residents and readers alike by April 10 and will include about 300 attractions in the finished guide. The map will be published online for anyone to access, and in print for tourism officials to distribute next year.
University Business Plan Competitions
- Steve Jobs' Best Quotes Ever
"It's rare that you see an artist in his 30s or 40s able to really contribute something amazing." -- At age 29, in Playboy, February 1985
Small Diameter Timber Utilization
- 17th Annual John Ruffatto Memorial Business Plan Competition, 5/11, University Of Montana, Missoula
The 17th Annual John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition has developed to be a successful cornerstone of SoBA’s entrepreneurship education. Over 250 business professionals and community members will attend the event on May 11, 2006.
Energy
- Seattle Steam switching from gas to wood fuel
Seattle Steam, founded in 1893, distributes steam heat to 175 customers through 18 miles of pipeline. Customers include the Fairmont Olympic and Seattle Sheraton hotels and Harborview and Swedish medical centers.
Connectivity & Communications
- Climate Model Predicts Greater Melting, Submerged Cities
Such a sea level rise would permanently inundate low-lying lands like New Orleans, southern Florida, Bangladesh and the Netherlands.
Space and Zero Gravity Research
- imbee.com Beta program launched. A new unique blogging and social networking site developed specifically for kids ages 8 to 14.
If you or someone you know would like to join our beta program, please provide us with your contact information. That way, we can send you a personal invitation to be a part of our imbee.com community at the end of April.
- Wireless Home Security. Upcoming decisions by the Wi-Fi Alliance could make securing a wireless home network easier.
A major reason why so many wireless networks go unsecured is simply because doing so is a hassle
Transportation
- Idaho technology may play vital role in future missions to other planets
The Northwest will also be home to Challenger Learning Center of the Northern Rockies in Missoula, which will provide learning opportunities that will involve more students in science, said Steve Rosenbaum, chief technology of the Inland Northwest Space Alliance.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Big Sky Airlines has high hopes. Company hopes Boise will boost business by 30%. SkyWest wins air battle for West Yellowstone
Many of the passengers currently making the Boise-to-Walla Walla run are Washington state business executives who need to be in Boise frequently.
- Invention: Laser spark plugs
For over 30 years, Barry Fox has trawled through the world's weird and wonderful patent applications, uncovering the most exciting, bizarre or even terrifying new ideas.
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